No malaria outbreak in St Catherine

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The St Catherine Health Department has moved to allay fears of a malaria outbreak in the parish.

This became necessary after one elderly man from the parish who recently returned from Ghana was tested positive for the vector borne disease.

Acting Chief Public Health Inspector for the parish Grayson Hutchinson told councillors attending the first monthly meeting of the St Catherine Municipal Corporation yesterday that the case in question was imported and all systems were put in place to ensure that it was contained.

Imported case

"There is no outbreak; there was one imported case and when it came to our attention we immediately isolated the individual and he is now being treated," Hutchinson said.

He stated that 73 blood samples were collected in the area where the affected man resides and tested for the disease.

"I am pleased to report that all samples returned negative," he disclosed, adding that the health department has mobilised its vector control team that has visited some 400 houses so far.

According to the public health official, breeding sites for the anopheles mosquito that transmit the malaria virus, are now been targeted and fogging is presently taking place.

Hutchinson noted that the health department's education drive has been ramped up with some 4,452 persons receiving health education and 4,140 pamphlets handed out to citizens in the parish.